mansfield



(No Model.) a sheets-sheet 1.

- P. MANSFIELD.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY tented July 5, 1892.

(No Model.) .3 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. MANSFIELD.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 478,346. Patented July '5, 1892.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MANSFIELD, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,346, dated July 5,1892.

7 Application filed November 18, 1890. Serial No. 371,824. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANK MANSFIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which thefol lowing is such a full, clear, and exact descrip-. tion as willenable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification.

My invention relates to electric railways of the class described in thepatents granted to me July 22, 1890, and numbered 432,673, 432,674, and432,675, respectively, in which a main conductor is provided atintervals along the way with normally-disconnected insulated branchconductors which are automatically connected in circuit and placed incontact with circuit-completing mechanism on they car by means of apick-up device carried by the car.

The invention relates especially to certain improvements in the pick-updevice or piow electric car provided with my improvements.

In this view the pick-up plow at the forward end of the car is shown aslowered into position for use, while the one at the rear end thereof isshown as elevated and out of use. The conduit in which the pick-up plowtravels and the casings containing the branch conductors, theirswitches, and operating-levers are shown as dotted in the road-bed. Fig.2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the running-gear of the carwith my improved pick-up plow mounted thereon. Fig.

3 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the section beingtaken on a plane 1ndicated by line 3 3 in Fig. 2. This View, inaddition'to that of Fig. 2, shows the conduit in which the pick-up plowtravels. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of my improved pick-up plow shown inthe position that it assumes when the car is rounding a curve, a portionof the supporting means, the hand-lever, and the guard being hereomitted. Fig. 5'is a sectional View taken on aplane indicated byline 5 5in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the railwaytracks at a turn-out orswitching-point and shows the conduit, the switch for the branchconductors, and their operating levers which are located in theroad-bed. Fig. 7 is a side view of the casing containing the switch forthe branch conductor and its operating-lever, the switch-box being shownin vertical section and the operating-lever being shown as elevated toits upper limit of movement. Figs. 8 and 9 show an end View and a topplan view, respectively, of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is anenlarged detached view,in section, of the switch-box and theoperating-lever, the plane of the section being indicated by line 10 10in Fig. 7. Fig. 1 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the conduitin which the pickup plow travels and shows the relative position of theswitch-box of the branch conductor and its operating-lever. Fig. 12 is atop plan view of the conduit and the rail of a crossingtrack. Fig. 13 isa sectional View taken on a plane indicated by line 13 13 in Fig. 12.

In the said drawings, like numbers of reference indicate like andcorresponding parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings, 15 designates an ordinary form of an electriccar moving on the usual railway-tracks 16 and which is provided with apropelling electric motor 17. The motor 17 is electrically connectedwith the circuit-completing .rod 18, which is carried beneath the carand which may be placed in circuit with a subterranean main conductor 19through means of the normally-disconnected insulated branch conductors20, which are brought into operation by a moving car, as hereinafter tobe described.

The main or supply conductor 19'is located in a suitable manner in theroad-bed, and at certain intervals along the same are arranged thebranch conductors 20, which are insulated throughout, and each leadthrough a switch over a pivoted operating-lever 21, upon the end ofwhich they are provided with a contact-piece 22, which, as hereinafterdescribed, is designed and adapted to be engaged by the pick-up plow onthe car and placed thereby in contact with the contactbar 18 on the car.The switch for the branch conductor 20 is located within the water-tightbox 23,fprovided with a removable side 24: and having a tubular shaft orsleeve 25 leading into one side thereof. The shaft 25 is fixed to theswitch-box, and through the shaft passes a rotary shaft 26,0ne end ofwhich extends into the switch-box and is provided with a springcontact-arm 27, the end of which carries a contact-plate whichengages asecond contact 28, located in the bottom of the switch-box. Theoperating-lcver21 is mounted upon the shaft 25, so as to turn thereon,by means of a sleeve 29, and a cap is mounted upon the end of the shaft25 and is connected with the end of the switch-shaft 26 and with theoperating-levcr 21, so that the lever 21 and the shaft move together infixed relation. The sleeve 29 and the cap 30 can be made in a singlepiece, if preferred; but in the present construction they are madeseparate and are bolted together by means of the bolts 31, which passthrough the body of the lever 21. w A washer 32 is placed between theend of the sleeve 29 and the cap 30 to prevent water from working itsway into the switchbox. This construction serves to prevent water fromfinding its way into the switch-box along the switch-shaft 26. Thecontact carried upon the end of the lever 21 consists in alaterally-projecting metallic arm or bar 22, which extends from a plate33, that is letinto the end of thelever 21 and secured in position bythe bolts 31 The plate is connected with the branch conductor 20,leading over the lever, which conductor is insulated throughout andpasses from the lever into the side of the switch-box at a point 35,thence runs to the contact 36 upon the end of the arm 27, the otherportion of the branch conductor being from contact 28 overthe conductor20 to the main. 1

ater-tight joints are formed in the switchbox at points where theconductor 20 passes in and out.

the switch is operated, is raised to its highest point of movement, asshown in Figs. 1, 7, 8,.

and 9, the switch is closed, so that the contact 22 upon the end of thelever will he energized. WVhen the operating-lever at its lowest pointof movement or at any point intermediate the lowest point and thehighest, the switch is open. ductor is only in circuit with the mainwhen a passing car has moved the lever 21 to its highest point ofmovement and placed the contact 22 in contact with the bar 18 on thecar, Since the point of contact between the mechanism on the car and thecontact-point 22.0f the branch conductor is at a considerable distanceabove the surface of the road The parts of the switch are so adjustedthat when the lever 2l, by which In this way the branch conway and thepart-s'are all thoroughly insulated and protected against water, anyordinary amount of surface water will not be likely to cause a shortcircuit of the current.

The switch-box 23 and the lever 21, together with the cap 30 and theparts connected therewith, are all secured together and are mounted in acasing 37, which may be made of a suitable metal formed in any suitableshape. This casing 37 is provided with a chamber 38, which opens at 39along the top of the casing, and a recess 40 is formed at one end of thechamber for the reception of the switch-box 23, the bottom of which issupported by a lug or projection 41, fixed upon the casing. A depression4L2 is formed in the casing opposite the recess 40, and the cap 30 restsin the same as a hearing when the parts are properly seated in position,as shown in Fig. 9. By this means should it become necessary to adjustor repair the switch this may be readily accomplished by lifting theswitch-box, together with the lever 21, out of the casing and thenremoving the top 24: of the box, the part of the branch conductor 20between the switch and the main conductor being sufliciently slack toallow the switch-box to be raised at least its entire height.

The operating contact-lever 21 maybe made of any suitable insulatingmaterial, such as wood, and is formed like a broad fiat plate or bladeand is somewhat triangular in shape when viewed from the side. Thisopening 39 of the casing is of a sufiicient width to allow the lever 21to be swung in and out of the casing, there being as little clearance aspossible between these parts. The lever is of such a width that whenraised to its highest point of movement a portion of it is still withinthe casing, as shown in the drawings, so that it serves to keep theopening 39 closed at all points of its movement, and in this way foreignmatter is prevented from falling into the casing through the opening inwhich the lever works. The chamber 38 of the casing gradually widensfrom the top the bottom thereof, as will be understood from Fig. 8, so

that should any foreign matter find its way into the same it will notprevent the lever 21 from being lowered to its lowest point of movement,since by this construction considerable room is left in the bottom ofthe chamber 38 between the sides of the lover and the walls of thechamber.

The contact-piece 22 at the end of the movable branch conductor extendsacross the guide-slot 43 of the conduit 44:,which is placed in theroad-bed parallel with the track. In the present construction thisconduit is lo cated to one side of the track near one of the rails,though of course it may be placed centrally of or to the outside of therails. The

top of the casings 37 lie flush with the surface of the road, likewisethe conduit, in the upper edge of which is formed a transverse notch 45for the reception of the contact-piece IIO 22, which is designed andconstructed to extend'across the slot of the conduit, so that it wardextension of a swinging supporting-bar- 49, which at its inner end isswiveled on aver tical pin 50, mounted upon the supportingbeam 51. Theplow-arm 52 is attached to the plate 47, so that its outer end projectsfree therefrom a considerable distance. This plow.- arm may be madeintegral with the plate 47; but in the present construction it is madeseparate and is insulated from it by means of an insulating block 53,through which pass the bolts 54, which secure the arm 52 to the plate.The plow-arm 52 is flexible, so that it may be bent sidewise in taking acurve, as shown in Fig. 4. The arm may be made of 'one thickness ofsuitable metal,-or it may be laminated, as shown in the drawings,wherein it consists in two flat plates 55, secured together by rivets.At the same time the outer one of them is capable of a slight lengthwisemovement on the other, so as to permit of the arm being flexed at itsend as the car passes around a curve. The slots in the plates 55,through which the bolts 54 pass, are elongated to permit of the platesmoving on each other, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. A curvedprojection or horn 56 extends from the plate 47 7 above the end of theplow, and a guard-rib 57 runs from this horn along the plate parallelwith the plow-arm and directly above the same, so asto form a guard forthe contact-piece 22 as the plow moves under the same and elevates it. Aspring 58 extends from the end of the guard-rib 57 and engages with itsend the under side of the'supporting-bar 49. This spring serves tobridgeover the space between the inner end of the guardrib 57 and thesupporting-bar.

The supporting-bar 49 is hinged on a bolt 50, so that it may be swungthereon horizontally sufficiently to allow the plow which runs in theconduit to easily move arounda curve in the conduit, as will beunderstood more especially from Fig. 4. This supporting-bar49 extendsslightly beyond the end of the car and almost to the end of the plow,and it is supported between its ends by the end of the supporting-beam51, the end of which is provided with a curved guide-plate 59, which is.

placed horizontally and is engaged by a pro jection or lip 60 on thesupporting-bar 49, so that a sliding joint is formed between these twoparts in order that the supporting-bar may be swung from side to side onthe bolt 50 as a center. Upon the end of the supporting-bar 49 ismounted a hand-lever 61, which is bent somewhat L-shaped,and is pivotedat the bend thereof on a pin 62. Thefoot of the lever 61 is pivoted at63 to the plow 46, so that by moving the lever on the pivot 62 the plowmay be raised from the conduit or lowered into it, the limit of thedownward movement of the plow being regulated by a stop 64, fixed uponthe hand-lever 61 and engaging the supporting-bar 49. The hand-lever maybe looked in position when the plow is raised to its highest point bymeans of a lug 65 on the supporting-bar 49 and a springbolt 66, mountedupon the hand-lever and connected by means of a cord or rope 67 with apivoted handle or trigger 68, located at theupper end of the hand-lever61. The pivoted handle 68 and the handle of the lever-61 are placed neartogether and they both may be grasped by one hand, so that thehand-lever may be unlocked and the plow lowered into operative positionby one and the same movement, an outward movement of the hand-leverserving to raise the plow out of theconupon which are mounted thecar-wheels 71..

This supporting-beam extends a little over the entire length of the bodyofthe car, but does not extend beyond the platforms thereof, and it isswung from the axles by means of the hangers or brackets 72, which aresecured to the beam by means of bolts 73. The bearing-block 74 of one oftheaxles is mounted in the hanger 72, so as to be movable horizontallythereon in a direction lengthwise the car. This block slides between thehanger and the be'am,as clearly-shown in Fig. 3, and is provided at eachend thereof with a spring 75, which is placed between the block and thehanger and acts to oppose the movement thereof. A rigid connectionbetween the caraxles and the supporting-frame or beam 51 is thus avoidedand the beam is relieved of any stress which the axles would otherwiseexert upon it when the car is passing overa curve,

since anymovement of the axles out of parallelism is allowed for.

The contact -bar 18 is suspended below the supporting-beam 51 by meansofinsulated hooks 76,which depend from the beam. This 7 bar 18 extendsfrom the plow at the forward end of the car to the one at the rear end,and at each end it is connectedwith the pin or bolt 48by means of anelongated slot 77, and the upper edge of the bar is slightly'inclinedatwhen the plow is forced to one side by a curve in the conduit thebarmay bend slightly, in

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conduit bymeans of the angle-irons 86.

order to allow the plow to pass smoothly over g the bend. The contactbarof course is to be suitably insulatedat all points of its support,and to this end an insulating-washer 79 is placed on .thebolt 18 betweenthe contact-bar and the supporting-bar 49, as shown in Fig. 5 4. Thecontact-bar 18 and the arm 52 of the plow are arranged so as to form,practical-l y, a continuous bar for passing under the con- 1 facts 22 asthe car advances.

Asbefore stated,the contact-bar 18 is in circuit with the motor 17, sothat when the plow has raised one of the operating-levers 21 1 to such aheight that the contact 22 thereof comes in contact with the bar 18 acircuiti will be established from the main conductor through the branchconductor, thence bythe 1 contact-bar18 to the motor 17 and thence by asuitable return-conductor, which may either be by one of the tracks or asuspended orl The branchcondoctors are arranged at such distances from}each other that as soon as one is about to break circuit with thecontact-bar 18 another I one at the forward end of the car is brought Inthis way one of the branch conductors is always connected between themain and the contact-bar 18, so as to admit the current to buried wire,tothe dynamo.

into circuit by the forward pick-up plow.

the motor.

The conduit 44: is composed of two verti- -cally-arranged plates 80,suitably spaced and forming a guide-slot LEE-for the end of the plow totravel in, and is supported by means of chairs 81, which are formed inone piece and bolted tothecross-ties 82.

serves to'hold them apart at their lower edges.

The upper ends of the conduit-plates are held stationary by means of alip 85, hooking over the upperends of the pillars or uprights 83 of thechairs, as fully shown in Fig. 11. At the point where a railway-trackcrosses the conduit the same is cut away a distance about equal thewidth of the crossing-rail, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The abuttingends of the crossing-rails 88 are spaced a little more than the width ofthe guide-slot 43 of the conduit, so as to permit the plow traveling inthe conduit to move between the ends of the rail, which are secured totheadjacent sides of the At this point a spacing-plate 87 is inserted inthe conduit, so as to standvertically, and the upper surface thereof isbowed or curved in such a way that the plow as itadvances along theconduit will strike the spacing-plate 87 and slide easily over the same.

The chairs 81 have two vertical pillars 83, which are suitably with themechanism on the car the rear plow may serve to gradually lower the sameinto their normalposition in the road-bed as the car recedes. However,but one plow needbe used, and that may be at the forward end of the car,in which case the rear end of the contact-bar 18 may be provided with aninclined end which would extend to within a sufficient distance of thesurfaceof the roadway to just clear the same, so that as the contact-barmoves under and beyond the supporting contact-lever the latter maygradually be lowered and finally gravitated into its normal position.

Having thus described myimprovementsin electric railways, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending alon theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted tobebrought into engagement with the said contact device on the car, and amovablepick-iup plowmounted upon the car and hinged upon a horizontalaxis, so that it may be raised out of the guideslot when not in use, forthepurpose set forth.

2. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted to bebrought into engagement with the said contact device on the car, andamovable pick-up plow mounted uponthe car and hinged so that it maybemoved into and out of the guide-slot, and a lock for holding it elevatedout of the slot, for

the purpose set forth.

3. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted tobebrought into engagement with the said contact device on the car, and amovable pick-u p plow mounted upon the car and hinged so that it may bemoved into and out of the guide-slot, and a hand-lever connected to theplow for controlling its movement.

4. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted to bebroughtinto engagement with the said contact device on the car, and amovable pick-up plow mounted upon the car and hinged so that it may bemoved into and out of the guide-slot, a handlever pivoted to the plowfor raising and lowering it, and a lock for holding the plow in raisedposition, and connections extending from the lock along the hand-levertothe han dle thereof, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a pivoted supportingbar and a pick-up plow hingedthereto on an axis at right angles to IIS by the plow may be movedlaterally, as well as raised and lowered, for the purpose set forth.

6. In an electric railway,the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a horizontally-swinging supporting-bar, a horizontalguide engaging the supporting-barintermediate its ends, so as to supportthe bar as it is swung on its joint, and a pick-up plow attached to saidsupporting-bar, for the purpose set forth.

7. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a horizontally-swinging supporting-bar, a movablepick-up plow hinged to the supporting-bar, so that it may be raised andlowered, and a hand-lever mounted upon the supporting-bar and pivoted tothe plow for controlling the movements of the same, for the purpose setforth.

8. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of

' movable devices arranged at intervals along the roadway forcontrolling the circuit, a pickup plow mounted upon the car for engagingand raising the said movable devices into con tact with the contactdevice upon the car, and a guard mounted adjacent to the pick-up plowfor preventing the displacement of the said movable devices as the plowpasses under them, for the purpose set forth.

9. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted to bebrought into engagement with the said contact device on the car, and apick-up plow mounted upon the car and consisting in flexible platessecured together and capable of a slight movement on each other when theplow bends in taking a curve.

10. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and movable contacts arranged along the way and adapted to bebrought into engagement with the said contact device on the car, ahinged pick-up plow mounted upon the car, and a hand-lever connectedwith the I plow for raising and lowering it, and a stop for limiting thedownward movement of the plow.

11. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of a conduit having a guide-slot extending along theroadway and a pick-up plow hinged so as to swing Vertically andextending into the guide-slot, the hinge-pin of the hinge of the saidplow being mounted in elongated slots,

. so as to permit of a lateral movement of the end of the plow, for thepurpose set forth.

12. In an electric railway, thecombination, with a car, of a beammounted upon'the car and a contact-rod carried thereby, a swinging.

supporting-bar hinged to the said beam, and

a pick-up plow mounted upon the supportingbar, for the purpose setforth.

13. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device and a pick-up plow, of a supporting-beam for the pick-upplow, mounted upon the car-axles and provided with a spring-seatedbearing, for the purpose'set forth.

14. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device and a pick-up plow, of a supporting-beam for the pick-upplow, mounted upon the car-axles and provided with bearings for theaxles, the bearings of one said axles being movable horizontally andprovided with springs for opposing its movement, for the purpose setforth.

15. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device and apiok-up plow, of a supporting-beam for the pick-upplow swung from the axles of the car,

one of the axles being provided with a horizontally-movablebearing-block mounted on the supporting-beam so as to be movable on thesame, and a spring at opposite sides of the block for opposing itshorizontal movement relative to the beam, for the purpose set forth.

16. In anelectric railway, the combination, with a car, of a beammounted upon the running-gear and a contact-rod carried thereby, a supporting-barmounted upon the beam, and a pick-up plow hinged to thesupporting-bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided withacontact device and a pick-up plow, of a conduit formedwitha guide-slotfor the pick-up plow and comprising twovertically-arranged plates ormembers disposed parallel with a space between them, forming the slot, arailway-track crossing the conduit, with the ends of the abutting railsslightly spaced on the vertical plane containing the guide-slot, and aspacing-plate interposed between the plates forming the conduit andpassing between the ends of the said crossing-rail, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. v 7

18. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with apick-up device and contact mechanism, of arms or levers pivoted parallelwith the car-tracks for controlling the circuit and adapted to beelevated by the pick-up device on the car, so as to make contact withmechanism on the car, for the purpose set forth.

19. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with apick-up device and contact mechanism, of a subterranean insulated mainconductor provided at intervals along the way with normally-disconnectedbranch conductors adapted to be placed in circuit withcircuit-completing mechanism on a passingcar, and pivoted levers forthebranch conductors arrangedparallel with the tracks and-provided upontheir ends with contacts adaptedto be placed in contact with the said-'-mechanism on the car by means of the pickintervals along the way withnormally-disconi nected insulated branch conductors, and pivoted levers,over which the branch conductors pass, located in the road-bed parallelwith the track and provided at theirends with a laterally-projectingcontact-arm adapted to be engaged by the said pick-up device and raisedin contact with the said mechanism on the car, for the purpose setforth.

21. In an electric railway of the class (16-: scribed, the combination,withacasing placed 1 in the road-bed, of a lever pivoted by one end insaid casing and provided at its other end. with a contact,-the saidlever adapted to move j in and out of the casing and consisting in abroad plate or blade, which in all positionsof its movement serves toclose the opening of the casing through which the blade moves,

whereby foreign matter may be prevented from falling into the casing,for the purpose set forth.

22. In an electric railway, the combination, I

with a casing placed in the road-bed, of a lever for the branchconductor, pivoted in the casing and adapted to move in and out thereof,the said lever consisting of a broad plate or blade which closes theopening of the easing through which it moves in all positions of itsmovement, the interior of the said casing being wider at the bottom thanat the top, whereby foreign matter in the bottom of the casing may notprevent the lever from moving to its lowest position, for the purposeset forth.

In an electric railway, the combination, with a casing placed in theroad-bed, of a switch having a switch-box removably mounted in one endof the casing and provided with a shaft for operating the switch, andalever for the branch conductor, pivoted by one end in the casing andconnected to and moving with the said shaft of the switch-box, the leverand switch-box together being removable from the casing, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

24. In an electric railway, the combination, with a branch conductor anda pivoted lever over which the conductor passes, provided with acontact, of a switch located in the branch conductor and comprising ashaft turning with the said lever, a spring contact-arm extending fromsaid shaft so as to be rotated therewith, and a fixed contact for thecontactarm to engage with, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

25. In an electric railway, the combination, with a switch mounted in aWater-tight switchbox consisting in a box having a fixed tubular shaftextending laterally therefrom, of a switch-shaft extending looselythrough said tubular shaft and provided in the switch-box with acontact-arm, a lever for the branch cond uctor, mounted so as to swingupon the said fixed shaft, and a watertight cap secured to said leverand to the end of the switch-shaft and covering the end of the saidfixed shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

26. In an electricrailway, the combination, with a pickup plow and acontact device carried by the car, of a conduit 44, formed with aguide-slot 43 and extending along the roadway, the crossing-rails SS 88,extending at an angle to the conduit, with the abutting ends thereofsuitably spaced at the crossing point, and a spacin g-plate 87, providedwith a on rved or bowed upperedge and placed within the conduit,substantially as and for the 13111130565811 forth.

27. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car, of thesupporting-beam 51,,mounted upon the car-axles, the bearing of oneof theaxles on the said supporting-beam being movable horizontally thereon andprovided with the springs 75 for opposing the movement thereof,substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

28. In an electric railway, the combination, with movable contactsarranged along the roadway and a car provided with a pick-up plow forengaging and elevating said contacts, of the supporting-beam 51.,mounted upon the car-axles with yielding connection therebetween, andthe con tact-rod 1S, suspended from the said beam and actinginconjnnction with the said plow, substantiallyas and forth epurpose setforth.

29. In an electric railway, thecomhination, with a car provided with acontact device, of the operating-levers pivoted in the roadway and aflexible pick-up plow comprising the plates 55 55, secured together,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

30. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of the operating-levers pivoted in the roadway, theplate 47, mounted on the car and hinged so as to swing vertically, theplow-arm 52, mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, :a pivoted handlever 61, connected with the plow for raising and lowering it, and alock for holding the plow in raised position, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3l. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car provided with acontact device, of operating-levers pivoted in the roadway, a plow-arm52, mounted upon the car, and a guard 56 57 therefor, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

32. In an electric railway, thecombination, with a carprovided with acontact device and a hinged pick-up plow swinging vertically, ofoperating-levers pivoted in the roadway and a hand-lever 61, pivotedthereto for raising and lowering the plow and provided with a lock forlockin git in raised position, said lock connected with and controlledby the pivoted handle 68, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

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thereon, the swinging supporting-bar 49,

hinged horizontally thereto, the said beam overlapping the bar and asliding joint therebetween, and a pick-up plow mounted upon thesupporting-bar 49, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

35. In an electric railway, the combination, with a car, of thesupporting-bar 49, hinged horizontally, and a pick-up plow mountedthereon, and a contact-rod 18, supported be-r neath the carand havingitsend pivoted to the said supporting-bar, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

36. In an electric railway, the combination, with a casing 37, formedwith a chamber 38, having an opening 39, ot' a pivoted operatinglever21, provided with a contact upon its end,

the switch-box 23, secured thereto, and a switch within the box, thesaid lever and switch-box mounted movably in the said casing, and abranch conductor 20, leading from the main through the switch andoverthe lever 21 to the contact carried thereby, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

37. In an electric railway, the combination,

with a casing 37, formed with a chamber 38, having an opening 39, of theswinging operating-lever 21, carrying a contact, and the branchconductor leading overthe lever to the contact, said lever acting tofill the opening 39 at all times, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

38. In an electric railway, the combination, with the casing 37, of theswitch-box 23, mounted therein and provided with a tubular shaft 25,fixed thereto, the rotary switchshaft 26, mounted in the said tubularshaft 25, the lever 21, turning with the switch-shaft, and a switchcontrolled thereby, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

39. In an electric railway, the combination, with the casing 37, of theswitch-box 23, mounted therein and provided with-the fixed tubular shaft25, the rotary shaft 26 for controlling a switch within the box, saidrotary shaftmounted through the said hollow shaft 25, the lever 21,mounted upon the shaft 25, and the cap 30, connecting the lever with thesaid switch-shaft 26, and a switch controlled by said lever 21,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 10th day ofNovember, 1890, in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANK MANSFIELD.

Witnesses:

W. 0. JORDAN, OHAs. OREILLY.

